hitch rack vs roof rack vs trailer

[frumpy]

I'm trying to decide which route to go for my jeep liberty. It is fairly stock and only sees mild trails and fire roads to get to camping spots. I just got a welder so trying to figure out my plans for the spring.

Hitch rack - cheap and simple, keeps COG low, very limited room and kills departure angle.

roof rack - looks good, lots of storage room, out of the way (no having to store it), raises COG.

trailer - already have a utility trailer I could modify but frame material is fairly thin and two matching tires on 5x4.5 rims, keeps COG low, lots of room, keeps gear out of the elements, easier to get stuck and harder to recover

heres the jeep

and my utility trailer

 

[rynosurf]

What is it that you need to carry?

 

[frumpy]

the stuff thats not in the vehicle will vary depending what option I go with. More or less it will consist of a cooler, gas jerry, water jerry and if possible... hi-lift, firewood, storage contains with extra gear (rubermaids, larger ammo boxes, etc)

 

[WoldD90]

I would build a small, lightweight roof rack. That way it is easy to remove, easy to store. Put a few hooks on the ceiling of your garage and store it there. Maybe even start with a Yakima or Thule rack first.

The trailer you have could make a good starting point, but you would need to upgrade the axle and wheels. Those wheels would not make it on a long distance haul. They are too small, and would rotate too many times and burn up your grease. You might be able to swap out your hubs and install a set for 14 or 15 inch wheels and tires.

Nice looking truck.

 

[frumpy]

thanks for the compliment, unfortunatly I don't have a garage right now.

As for the trailer I have a set of 29" mud tires on jeep rims sitting out back of my house right now. I think the axle is only 1000lbs so I would most likely skip the hub conversion and upgrade the axle.

 

[Life_in_4Lo]

make a raised hitch rack. If you box it in, you can carry just as much as the roof and have far greater ease of access.
You will also not incur a MPG penalty at all. Roof, you will loose at least a couple mpg's.
It will not be difficult to manuver on tight trails or camp spots nor stopping somewhere 'in town'.

look at the Thule Terrapin for ideas on the hitch rack.
good luck

 

[The Adam Blaster]

What is it that you need to carry?

That would be my first question, followed closely by how heavy?

Other negatives you haven't mentioned:

Roof Rack --> can act like a big parachute and fuel economy suckage.

Hitch Rack - if you have something, or combination of multiple somethings that equals a large weight, this can squat the rear of the Liberty, and raise the front wheels.
I went this route with my Durango for a long trip I took over the summer with my wife and son. I had the cargo area filled from floor to ceiling, and a couple of bins on the hitch rack. From the side profile you could see the rear squatting a bit, but the handling didn't feel any different.
(I would estimate that the sturdily built rack and the 2 bins weighed in around 200 pouds total.)
The Durango is rated for a much heavier load than the Liberty of course!

You said you have a welder, with the Hitch Rack, you can build it so that the main support structure is angled almost vertically from the receiver, and you won't lose much if any departure angle. Also, you can build it to sit tightly against the raer bumper area and that will help negate the lever effect on the rear axle.
On the roads and areas you have been on with your Liberty, how important was the departure angle anyway?
(You said it only sees mild trails...)

I really like trailers, but a key to that is that the trailer has an axle with it's own brakes. Some people don't feel that is very important, but it's always helpful to have that extra ~1000 pounds with it's own braking force, rather than it "pushing" your vehicle while under hard braking.
And since you will be building/modifying your own trailer, you can build it to perform as you desire on rougher roads. This may include getting a stronger axle.

I think for the cost, from least expensive to most expensive it will go --> hitch rack, then roof rack, then trailer.
Simplicity to complexity follows the same pattern.

Sooooo.... whatcha need to carry? :coffeedrink:

 

[frumpy]

axles usually go on sale for about $100 for a 2000lbs or 3000lbs axle (without brakes). I doubt I will need brakes on the trailer as I can't see it being over 1000lbs loaded. The one other problem with the hitch rack is clearing the spare tire, then loosing the ability to open the back hatch. If I kept it lower then the door I could easily pop off the 2 jerrys and a rubbermaid to get access to the trunk. Departure isn't a huge issue and if this is the route I go it will definatly be able to take a bit of whack.

 

[DarinM]

I've used a hitchrack on a couple of occasions with my TJ. My parents have traveled to SW Colorado with me and with 3 people in the Jeep, there is pretty much no room for much else.
The only issues I've had have been that when the rack is loaded up, my turn signals/brake lights are somewhat obscured. The departure angle has not been a real problem except for pulling out of very steep driveways. Also, it is a pain to have to unpack everything for security reasons while stopping for the night on a long trip. I suppose if you had lockable boxes secured to the rack, this would not be a problem but we've just put our luggage on and covered it with a tarp, cargo net and some bungee cords. Once we've arrived at our destination, I just pull the rack off and set it aside for the duration of our stay.
I borrowed a rack once and then bought my own off Craigslist last summer for $75.00. It's well worth it, I believe.

 

[HanzoSteel]

If its just you and one other I would go with a roof rack and if thats not enough room then add a hitch rack, if you got a family to haul around then a trailer may be the way to go.

 

[frumpy]

Right now its myself, fiance, and two small dogs but in the next few years there will be little frumpys running around.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Right now its myself, fiance, and two small dogs but in the next few years there will be little frumpys running around.

Honestly, then, I'd go for option 4: Pack everything inside the Liberty.

How long are you planning on going out?

Think about it this way: If adventure-cyclists and backpackers can pack everything they need into a couple of small bags, shouldn't you be able to do the same inside your Liberty, which is cavernous by comparison?

Now, if you had a whole herd of ankle-biters and a bunch of different activities that required a lot of equipment, I could see the need for excess storage. But just you and the fiancee and a couple of dogs? Hell, you ought to be good to go in a Wrangler!

Remove the back seat for more room and you might even be able to sleep inside the Liberty (don't know, haven't measured one.) Even if you can't, there's quite a bit of room with just two people and the back seat folded down or removed.

I think if it were me I would do everything in my power to keep all the gear inside the vehicle and if it won't fit, ask yourself if you really need it.

 

[frumpy]

Can, and have done it in a wrangler on 3000km trips in less than a week (minus the dogs). Have also done week plus long in back woods with nothing but a small backpack.

The issue is doing it now with two dogs in crates (there goes the trunk or back seats) plus factor in all my recovery gear, winch, fiance's abundence useless crap that she has to have to make herself comfortable while camping. I also do a lot of trips back home that are 1500km each way with a lot of crap for living and usually end up wheeling a bit while at home.

 

[Whitey]

You can leave the winch and jerry cans at home to save some space.
What do the dogs weigh?

 

[Scott Brady]

With a small vehicle and two occupants (plus two dogs), you do need some interior space. It is likely this can be accomplished with a very light roof load. Your roof load should never exceed about 150lbs. I never run any roof load if possible. On my latest trip, I kept the roof rack on the JK and hauled some firewood with it.

Consider putting light, bulky items in a lightweight rack (like the FrontRunner aluminum racks or the new ARB aluminum). Tent, sleeping bags, pillows and chairs. Get everything else down low, and far forward. With the dogs, you can fill the rear footwells with tools and water (properly lashed). In the rear, store cooking and camp gear, recovery equipment and personal effects. Again, put the heaviest stuff far forward (closer to the rear axle) and low.

The Liberty is a small SUV and it looks like yours is near stock, which will help with vehicle dynamics too.